Kathy’s Mission

As a patient for all patients, Kathy pursues the ultimate goal—a cure for cancer.

For too many patients like Kathy, the cure is the difference between life and death. In 1996, when a multiple myeloma diagnosis changed her life, Kathy set out to change medicine. With so much at stake, there was no time to waste and no excuse for inefficiency. The system wasn’t working. So, Kathy worked with extraordinary partners in myeloma—partners who shared her passion for accelerating cures. Together, they built an end to end model in precision medicine. Together, they built a robust tissue bank, extensive clinical network, and the world’s largest genomic databank.

Most importantly, the MMRF was able to change the landscape of drug development for multiple myeloma. The merits of committed collaboration are indisputable—it is the future. By motivating millions of patients, researchers, and institutions to pull together in the same direction, new hope is placed in the hands of people who need it most.

Today, the quest for a cure continues to gain momentum. Kathy’s business acumen, powered by her drive as a patient, forges new chances for success at Kraft Precision Medicine Accelerator at Harvard Business School. There, she works with disruptive leaders across all cancers to share best practices, prioritize challenges, and drive to solutions. Only through steadfast cooperation can each patient have what they need to win their fight. Now, with more people than ever working together toward a cure for cancer, today holds more hope for more patients than ever before.

Kraft Precision Medicine Accelerator at Harvard Business School

At Kraft Precision Medicine Accelerator, Kathy Giusti and her co-chair Richard Hamermesh are catalysts for progress. Together, they work to make it easier for all cancer organizations to learn together, work together, and share together to create a collective impact. The organization puts patients at the center of the process and uses smart analytics and innovative clinical trials to know where exploration is needed and opportunity lies. This information directs investment to the right initiatives, informed by superior intelligence and based in hard evidence.

The Kraft Precision Medicine Accelerator was made possible by a generous gift of $20 million from the Robert and Myra Kraft Family Foundation.

Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation

Before the MMRF no new multiple myeloma treatments
had been developed in decades. Drug developers, research institutions and other players were not working effectively together to facilitate change fast enough. In response, Kathy spearheaded a new patient-centric model of collaboration. By encouraging everyone to share their data and discoveries, knowledge accelerated and new possibilities emerged. Over ten new drugs received FDA approval. Many more are currently under clinical trials.

The MMRF has become a model and blueprint of success for others to follow.